‘Join me for a picnic in Wilton Park’ says reader in an open letter to the Polish community of Melton

“Britain has voted to leave the EU, and Melton was amongst those that did.

When I saw the result I was shocked, saddened and confused. I have tried to imagine how you must feel in the aftermath of this, living amongst us, feeling unwelcome. I’m sure I can’t do it justice but I have enough humanity in me to feel wretched for you.

I wanted to say I’m sorry.

Your children are my children’s friends at school (Jan is my little boy’s only school friend, I don’t know him, but I love him for it). When I take my children to school I want you to know that I don’t see immigrants, I see loving mothers and fathers, fretting over their babies just like me, and I know we already have one huge thing in common. I see men and women that have left their homeland. Moved to a country that doesn’t speak their first language, where things must be disorientating and frightening. And you’ve done this to secure a better future, a better future for your families. I admire you.

I know we voted to leave but I don’t want you to. I want to thank you for all the hard work you do. If you left, I promise you Jeremy Kyle’s audience wouldn’t roll off the sofa and scramble to take the jobs you left (although I’d bet you could measure it if they did). I get the frustration with Brussels, but that’s politicians, not people. You are not my enemy, I just don’t know you yet.

I want to bridge that gap. With that in mind I will be in Melton’s lovely Wilton Park on Sunday, August 14 with my children, and a picnic. I would love you to join us. Bring your kids, footballs, whatever. I bet at least one of you big lads has got a guitar and voice like an angel. Come and teach me some songs, come and teach me some Polish. I will happily teach as much English as you could ever use. This great country used to be a huge collection of communities, we loved and looked after each other in way we have lost. I don’t care what we voted, our community is ours to make, please stay a part of it.”